2008 Washington Insurance Commissioner election

For related races, see 2008 Washington elections.

2008 Washington Insurance Commissioner election

←  2004 November 4, 2008 2012  →

Candidate Mike Kreidler John Adams Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,679,696 1,056,693 Percentage 61.38% 38.62%

County results Congressional district results Kreidler:      50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90% Adams:      50–60%     60–70%

insurance commissioner before election Mike Kreidler Democratic Elected insurance commissioner Mike Kreidler Democratic

The 2008 Washington Insurance Commissioner election was held on November 4, 2008, to elect the insurance commissioner of Washington, concurrently with the 2008 U.S. presidential election, as well as elections to the U.S. Senate and various state and local elections, including for U.S. House and governor of Washington. Incumbent Democratic Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler was re-elected to a third term in a landslide. ^[1]

Background

Incumbent Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler, first elected in 2000 and re-elected in 2004, ran for re-election to a third term in office. ^[2]

Primary election

Washington is one of two states that holds a top-two primary, meaning all candidates are listed on the same ballot regardless of party affiliation, and the top two advance to the general election.

Democratic candidates

Advanced to general

• Mike Kreidler, incumbent Insurance Commissioner (2001–2025) ^[2]

Republican candidates

Advanced to general

• John Adams, insurance broker ^[3]

Third-party and independent candidates

Eliminated in primary

• Curtis Fackler (Nonpartisan), chairman of the Spokane County Republican Party ^[3]

Results

Blanket primary results by county

  Kreidler

•   40–50%
•   50–60%
•   60–70%

  Adams

•   40–50%
•   50–60%

Blanket primary election results ^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Mike Kreidler (incumbent)	723,732	53.86
	Republican	John Adams	484,992	36.09
	Nonpartisan	Curtis Fackler	135,113	10.05
Total votes			1,343,837	100.00

General election

Endorsements

Mike Kreidler (D)

Newspapers

• The Seattle Times ^[5]

Results

2008 Washington Insurance Commissioner election ^[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Mike Kreidler (incumbent)	1,679,696	61.38
	Republican	John Adams	1,056,693	38.62
Total votes			2,736,389	100.00
	Democratic hold

By county

County results

County [7]	Mike Kreidler Democratic		John Adams Republican		Margin		Total votes
	#	%	#	%	#	%
Adams	1,629	37.41%	2,726	62.59%	-1,097	-25.19%	4,355
Asotin	4,275	48.22%	4,590	51.78%	-315	-3.55%	8,865
Benton	28,779	43.33%	37,634	56.67%	-8,855	-13.33%	66,413
Chelan	13,359	46.48%	15,381	53.52%	-2,022	-7.04%	28,740
Clallam	20,038	57.23%	14,978	42.77%	5,060	14.45%	35,016
Clark	89,531	54.39%	75,088	45.61%	14,443	8.77%	164,619
Columbia	769	38.90%	1,208	61.10%	-439	-22.21%	1,977
Cowlitz	24,100	58.97%	16,771	41.03%	7,329	17.93%	40,871
Douglas	5,947	43.52%	7,719	56.48%	-1,772	-12.97%	13,666
Ferry	1,487	47.74%	1,628	52.26%	-141	-4.53%	3,115
Franklin	8,102	44.03%	10,300	55.97%	-2,198	-11.94%	18,402
Garfield	446	37.23%	752	62.77%	-306	-25.54%	1,198
Grant	10,201	40.67%	14,883	59.33%	-4,682	-18.67%	25,084
Grays Harbor	17,126	64.01%	9,629	35.99%	7,497	28.02%	26,755
Island	22,031	57.57%	16,235	42.43%	5,796	15.15%	38,266
Jefferson	12,726	69.91%	5,478	30.09%	7,248	39.82%	18,204
King	580,666	72.13%	224,384	27.87%	356,282	44.26%	805,050
Kitsap	68,696	59.96%	45,878	40.04%	22,818	19.92%	114,574
Kittitas	8,109	50.94%	7,809	49.06%	300	1.88%	15,918
Klickitat	4,775	52.56%	4,309	47.44%	466	5.13%	9,084
Lewis	15,329	48.43%	16,325	51.57%	-996	-3.15%	31,654
Lincoln	2,206	41.32%	3,133	58.68%	-927	-17.36%	5,339
Mason	16,148	61.12%	10,271	38.88%	5,877	22.25%	26,419
Okanogan	7,452	49.18%	7,699	50.82%	-247	-1.63%	15,151
Pacific	6,112	62.15%	3,722	37.85%	2,390	24.30%	9,834
Pend Oreille	2,714	45.95%	3,192	54.05%	-478	-8.09%	5,906
Pierce	182,132	59.76%	122,622	40.24%	59,510	19.53%	304,754
San Juan	6,632	70.11%	2,827	29.89%	3,805	40.23%	9,459
Skagit	29,944	58.81%	20,970	41.19%	8,974	17.63%	50,914
Skamania	2,690	54.88%	2,212	45.12%	478	9.75%	4,902
Snohomish	182,605	62.29%	110,531	37.71%	72,074	24.59%	293,136
Spokane	105,917	52.94%	94,146	47.06%	11,771	5.88%	200,063
Stevens	8,467	42.19%	11,604	57.81%	-3,137	-15.63%	20,071
Thurston	78,485	67.28%	38,175	32.72%	40,310	34.55%	116,660
Wahkiakum	1,095	54.80%	903	45.20%	192	9.61%	1,998
Walla Walla	10,173	46.12%	11,885	53.88%	-1,712	-7.76%	22,058
Whatcom	55,309	61.24%	35,006	38.76%	20,303	22.48%	90,315
Whitman	8,259	53.46%	7,189	46.54%	1,070	6.93%	15,448
Yakima	35,235	48.85%	36,901	51.15%	-1,666	-2.31%	72,136
Totals	1,679,696	61.38%	1,056,693	38.62%	623,003	22.77%	2,736,389

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

• Kittitas (largest city: Ellensburg)
• Klickitat (largest city: Goldendale)
• Spokane (largest city: Spokane)
• Whitman (largest city: Pullman)

By congressional district

Kreidler won eight of nine congressional districts, including two that elected Republicans. ^[8]

District	Kreidler	Adams	Representative
1st	65%	35%	Jay Inslee
2nd	60%	40%	Rick Larsen
3rd	58%	42%	Brian Baird
4th	46%	54%	Doc Hastings
5th	51%	49%	Cathy McMorris Rodgers
6th	63%	37%	Norm Dicks
7th	85%	15%	Jim McDermott
8th	59%	41%	Dave Reichert
9th	62%	38%	Adam Smith

References

1. https://www.historylink.org/file/8896
2. https://www.heraldnet.com/news/official-wants-catastrophic-health-insurance-coverage-for-all-in-washington/
3. https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2008/jul/23/familiar-ballot-in-insurance-commissioner-race/
4. Reed, Sam (August 19, 2008). "Insurance Commissioner". Secretary of State of Washington . Archived from the original on May 2, 2025. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
5. Editorial Board, The Seattle Times (October 31, 2008). "Seattle Times endorsements for Election Day". The Seattle Times . Archived from the original on April 15, 2024. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
6. Reed, Sam (November 4, 2008). "Insurance Commissioner". Secretary of State of Washington . Archived from the original on March 5, 2025. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
7. Reed, Sam (November 4, 2008). "Insurance Commissioner - County Results". Secretary of State of Washington . Archived from the original on July 24, 2015. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
8. "2008 General Data". sos.wa.gov. Archived from the original on May 20, 2024.

External links

Official campaign websites (Archived)

• Mike Kreidler (D) for Insurance Commissioner
• John Adams (R) for Insurance Commissioner
• Curtis Fackler (NP) for Insurance Commissioner